U.S. Marshals Lock Up Woman In D.C. Jail With Men For Two Days

[DeSwiss]

Woman Booked Into D.C. Jail Men's Cell
Woman Showered, Underwent Cavity Search

UPDATED: 7:43 pm EDT July 20, 2007



WASHINGTON -- A D.C. jail made a mistake when a woman was booked in as a man at the U.S. Marshal Service's central cellblock. She lived, showered and slept in the central cellblock in downtown D.C. with men for two days before the mistake was corrected.

The gender mix-up was discovered Monday when the 47-year-old woman was transferred to the D.C. Jail. She was processed, photographed, fingerprinted and subjected to a body cavity search as part of the male prison population at the jail. This was when she was found to be a woman.

Authorities said the Dominican-born woman was identified in documents as Virginia Grace, also known as Virginia Soto. They said Grace tried repeatedly to tell officers that she was not a man. A female officer took her to be examined by a doctor in the infirmary. The doctor realized the mistake. Grace was then put with the female inmates.

A representative for the D.C. Department of Corrections released a statement. "The incident is under active investigation," the statement said. "However, in all of her criminal justice processing up to the point of DOC custody in this case, she was addressed as a male. Procedures used by marshals treated and transported the individual as a male."

more: http://www.nbc4.com/news/13719118/detail.html

*** - We've got electronics listening in on our conversations and video cameras to watch our every move. But the cops have trouble discerning what someone's sex is. Even if their name is "Virginia." We are so screwed.

[Rick Myers]

1. We are cooked! This is insane!!!

:grr:

[DeSwiss]

4. The article says....

"They said Grace tried repeatedly to tell officers that she was not a man. A female officer took her to be examined by a doctor in the infirmary. The doctor realized the mistake."

So the officer was apparently uncertain and took Virginia to a doctor to verify her claim of womanhood. Its obvious that such a complex problem requires a medical/scientific solution.

I say, give that officer a RAISE!!!! And a PROMOTION!!!

[piedmont]

2. Was there a language barrier or something? And did they not know her name? nt

[DeSwiss]

6. Language problem?

"Authorities said the Dominican-born woman was identified in documents as Virginia Grace, also known as Virginia Soto.

Okay, I can see that..... :sarcasm:

[piedmont]

10. Yeah, that's what I am wondering.

She tried to tell them she was a woman. Was there a reason other than abject stupidity that they didn't investigate further the first time she said that?

[razors edge]

3. That's Pat.

(old Saturday Night Live skit)

What a f**k up, I guess the officers will get promoted while we pay off another Federal settlement.

[SeattleGirl]

5. Uh, they did a body cavity search, and STILL didn't know they

were dealing with a woman???? :wow:

[karlrschneider]

8. Evidently she was facing the wrong way...

:eyes:

[DeSwiss]

9. On further in the article....

"A D.C. bench warrant was issued in May after Grace failed to show up for a prostitution charge. The warrant listed her as a man.

However, in documents from her July 14 arrest for allegedly smoking crack behind a building on 14th Street in Northwest, the arresting officers printed clearly that she was a woman."

You would think that this would've been enough to help them figure it all out. I guess DNA might've helped....

[GRLMGC]

7. She doesn't really look like a man to me

How could nobody have noticed?

[BlueJazz]

11. Ah...People, Come On!..All those Dominicans look alike.

:)